An optical axis polarization type laser interferometer including a
reference sphere which forms a reference of measurement, a
retro-reflecting means disposed at a measurement object, a laser
interference measuring apparatus for outputting a measurement value
corresponding to an increase or a decrease in the distance to and from
the retro-reflecting means; and a two-axis turning mechanism for turning
an emission beam of the corresponding laser interference measuring
apparatus centering around the reference sphere, which measures, with the
center coordinates of the reference sphere used as the reference, the
distance to and from the retro-reflecting means where the optical axes of
the emission beam from the laser interference measuring apparatus mounted
on the two-axis turning mechanism and a return beam become parallel to
each other, wherein the fixing portion of the first axis turning
mechanism installed at the base part of the apparatus is disposed at the
inner circumference thereof, the reference sphere is placed at the fixing
portion thereof, and at the same time, the moving portion of the first
axis turning mechanism is placed at the outer circumference of the fixing
portion, and the second axis turning mechanism is mounted on the moving
portion thereof. Therefore, complexities in mechanism design can be
simplified to a large extent with respect to the first axis turning
mechanism that composes the two-axis turning mechanism.